Gage for tanks.



E. S. SAVAGE.

GAGE POR. TANKS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY s1, 1912.

L07276. Pmwamgms 2 SHEETS-SHEET l. fgl

i d. um @1- E. S. SAVAGE.

`GAGE POR TANKS. APPLICATION FILED JULY 31, 1912.

1,072,876. Patented sept. 9, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Wm y A @mwmj EDWARD S. SAVAGE, OF ROCHESTER, YORK.

GAGE FOR TANKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

Application filed July 31, 1912. Serial No. 712,535.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD S. SAVAGE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gages for Tanks, of which the following is a speciiica-- tion.

rIhis invention relates to a gage by which the depth or volume of liquid in a tank is visually indicated at a oint remote from the tank, andby which also the airpressure within the tank, where such pressure is employed, may be visually indicated at the same point.

One object of the invention is to produce a device of the kind inquestion havingvarious novel and eliicient features of construction relating to the float-mechanism within the tank, the mechanism by which the indicating hands or pointers are actuated,.and the flexible connections between the iioatmechanism and the indicator-mechanism.

Another object of the invention, relating particularly to its use in connection with a tank, such as the fuel-tank of an automobile, in which air-pressure is employed' within the tank, is to combine, in a novel and simple manner, the gage-mechanism and the means for introducing compressed air into the tank.

.The various novel features of the invention, and the preferred embodiment thereof, will be more particularly pointed out in the following description of the gage illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings z-F igure 1 is a vertical section of a tank provided with a floatmechanism constituting a part of a gage constructed in accordance with the resent invention; Fig. 2 is a section on t e line 2 2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a detail-view, on a larger scale, showing particularly the mechanical connections at the bottom of the tank of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a plan-view, in sec tion on the line 4-4 in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the indicator; Fig. 6 is a' .with an vautomobi e, the mechanical 001111607-,

section on the line 6-6 in Fig. 5; Fig'. 7 is a View of the up er end of the indicator; Fig. 8 is a vertica section of a detail of' the connections between the air-pump, the tank and the indicator; Fig. 9 is a detail-view, on an enlarged scale, of a portion ofthe connecting-wire; and Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view showing the age as used in connection what above and below the top and bottom of the tank so as to provide suflicient space for the movements of the float. The upper end of the float-chamber is closed by a removable cap 14, whilethe lower end is closed by a bottom 13. The float-chamber is perforated, as at 15, to permit the liquid to pass freely into and vout of it. The float 16 is circular, and is provided with a central opening. At the'vertical axis of the floatchamber is a tube 17 which constitutes a guide for thevfioat, the iioat being provided with rolle's 18 which bear against the tube. This tube also constitutes a rotary member for transmitting movement from the float to the indicator. For this reason the lower end of the tubeis journaled upon a bearingsleeve 19 iiXed to the bottom 13, While the upper end of the tube is fixed, by means of a bushing, as shown in'Fig. 1 to the upper end of a shaft 21. i

In order that the vertical movements of the float may cause rotative movements of the guide-tube 17 a helical flange 22 is fixed to the tube, and is embraced between two rollers 23 journaled on the float. -Two other rollers 24,-also journaled on the float, engagea straight, vertical flange 25 lixed to the inner surface of the float-chamber. The flange 25 revents the float from rotatin and accor ingly, as the float rises and fal s, the rollers 23 and the flange 22 cause rotative movements of the guide-tube, of an amplitude proportionate to the vertical move'- ments ofthe ioat. The arrangement of flanges and rollers just described permits the float to actuate the guide-tube and to rise and fall with a minimum of resistance due to friction, particularly at the connections .between the lioat and the tube, where the greatest friction would otherwise occur.

The shaft 21 is journaled in a bushing 27 at the' upper end of a tube 26. This tube passes thro-ugh, and is fixed in, the bottom of the casing 13, and it extends above the highestl level of the liquid in the tank, so that it prevents the escape of liquid from the bottom of the tank, thus dispensing with the necessity of a packed joint at this point. The lower end of the shaft 21 projects through the bottom of the tube 26, and is journaled in a cross-bar 28 fixed at the bot- -tom of a casing which extends downnected with one end of the flexible wire 32.. The rod v31 slides and is guided in a sleeve i 33 projecting from the casing 20, so that rectilinear movements are imparted to it by the angular movements of the crankarm 29.

The indicator-mechanism is shown particularly in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. A cylindrical casing 34 is supported by a bracket 35 by which it may be fixed at any convenient point, as, for example, on the dash-board of an automobile. Within the casing 34 is a frame comprising an upper plate 36 and a lower plate 37, and these plates are centrallyl perforated to receive the journals of a drum 38. The upper journal 39 of the drum'carries a hand or pointer 41 which coperates with graduatio-ns upon a dialplate 42, these graduat-ions indicating measures of depth or volume in theptank. The drum isprovided with a helical groove 43, and this groove is engaged by-a projection 44 formed upon a slide-plate 45. The plate 45 is guided upon rods 46 fixed at their ends in the frame-plates 36 and 37, so that the slide-plate moves parallel to the axis of rotation ofthe drum 38, and in such movements the projection 44 causes the drum to rotate -and to impart angular movements to the pointer 41 proportionate to the movements of the slide-plate. The slide-plate 45 is fixed .to the upper end of a rod 47 which s'ldes'in a sleeve 58 projecting from the bottom of the casing 34. The rod4 47 is. connected, by a lap-jointand a screw 49, with a shortfro'd 48 which, in turn'is connected with the end of the flexible `wire 32. Y Accordingly, by the mechanism just described, the pointer 41 is moved, through the longitudinalmovement of the wire 32, in accordance with the ver-tical movements of the float.

A novel feature of the invention resides in the construction of the flexible wire andthe flexible sheathing inwhich it is guided. In order that the indications of the gage -may be accurate it is necessary that the mechanism respond to very4 slight differences of level in the tank, and accordingly the friction between the wire 32 and its sheath must be reduced as far as possible by making the wire as flexible as sistent with sufcient `strength. Accordingly, I employ a very slender wire of resilient metal, such as hard bronze, and inclosethis wire in a metal guide-tube 51 which fits it so closely as to prevent any substant-ial lateral movement or lost-motion of the wire, while at the same time allowing the wire to slide freely through the tube even when the latter has been bent in a curved form to connect the tank and the dial after they have been placed in convenient position .for use, In order to avoid the'necessity of using an excessively small guide-tube, and also to facilitate the movement of thewire and assist in the lubrication of the wire in the tube, I employ a wire such as is illustrated, on a magnified scale, in Fig. 9. This wire'has a central core 88, which is wound closely and uniformly from end to end with a fine wire 89. This winding does not substantially diminish the flexibility of the wire, but it increases the diameter of the wire substantially, thus permitting the use of a larger guide-tube, and Aat the same time it produces a surface which is adapted to hold a considerable amount of lubricating-oil and to maintain this oil, 'by capillary action, against the bearing-surfaces. To protect the slender guide-tube 5 1 against accidental injury it is inclosed within a larger tube 54,

and the latter, 1n turn, is inclosed by a flexible, spiral meta-l tube 57. Forfconvenience 1n assembling or disassemblingthe mechanism of the gagethe casing 20 at the `bottom of the tank is provided with a` removable cover 53 by which access may be had to the crankmechanism. The adjacent ends of the tubes 57 and 51 are fixed to a sleeve 91 which is connected, by aunion 92, with the sleeve 33. Upon removing the screw 94 which connects the link 30 with the rod 31, and unscrewing the union 92, the sleeve 91 may be disconnected from the sleeve 33 and the rod may be withdrawn from the latter, thus detaching the flexible connections from the float-mechanism. Detachable connections are also provided at the indicator, and for this urpose the end of the tube 54 is remova ly secured to the sleeve 58 by means ofa screw-plug 59. The adjacent end 'of the guide-tube 51 is supported centrally within the tube 54 by means of spaced members 95 which afford between them airassages for a purpose which will presentlyv ina/am .the rod 47 and the sleeve 58,v into the indicator-casing l34. Here it acts upon a tube 65 of the form familiar in pressure-gages, and commonly described as a f Bourdon tube.

The action of the air upon this tube is opposite to the usual action in pressure-gages, however, since the pressure is against the outer surface of the tube instead of the inner. One end of the tube is fixed to the wall of the casing, as shown in Fig. 6, and communicates with the atmosphere through a passage 66. The tube thus constitutes, in effect, a septum subjected, on opposite sides, to the pressures within and without the casing, and this arrangement causes the tube to respond to variations in the air-pressure in the casing 34 in substantially the usual manner, although in directions opposite to the movements which would be imparted t0 it by variations in its internal pressure.

The free end of the Bourdon tube is connected, by a link 67, with a slide 68 mounted upon a lever-arm 69. This arm is xed to a rock-shaft 71 journaled in the frameplates 36 and 87, and the lower end of the shaft carries a second lever-arm 72 provided, at its free end, with a gearfsegment 78. This segment meshes with a pinion 74,

moving the slide the pressure-gage mecha-` nism maybe adjusted as required.

.To prevent leakage of air at the junction betweenthe wire-casing and the indicatorcasing a sleeve 61 is threaded upon the sleeve 58 and is seated, at its upper end, against a gasket 62, while its lower end is 4seated against a gasket 63. The upper end of the casing 34 is also closed air-tight by a glass 96, clamped against a gasket 64. When the iexible connections are to be de` tached from the indicator the sleeve 61 is first unscrewed and drawn downwardly upon the casing 57. The Screw 49 is then removed, access being had to this Screw through an opening, 1n the sleeve 58, shown in dotted lines in F ig. 5. The screw-plug 59 may then. be unscrewed, and the Wire 32 and the rod 48 withdrawn from. the Sleeve 58.

In addition to serving as a means for incasing the flexible Wire and for communieating air-pressure between the tank and the indicator, the flexible sheath may, in some Cases, be employed also. as means for transmtting compressed air to the tank- For this purpose .a T-sheped connecting-member 41, and which then remains as set.

97 iS interposed at any convenient point in the sheath, as shown in Figs. 8 and lo, this connection having a lateral branch 98 which is connected, by a tube 84, with any ordinary or suitable source o f air-supply, such as the air-pump 85,. In this manner the connections between the air-pump, the indicator and the tank are greatly simplified, and a self-Contained outfit is provided which may be manufactured inexpensively and easily installed and kept in order.

The lform of float-mechanism illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 is particularly adapted'lfor use inconnection with a tank from which the liquid is fed by the action of gravity and without the use of air-pressure, as such tanks arev most conveniently provided with mechanical connections extending from the bottom. In the case-of a tank in which air-pressure is employed the tank is usually placed in a low position, as in the case of the tank 86 shown in Fig. 10, and in this case the mechanical connections are most conveniently made at the upper end of a guide-tube 87 which performs substantially the same functions as the guide-tube 17 in Fig. 1. The crank-.mechanism for connecting the guide-tube with the flexible wire may be substantially similar to that already described. In either construction the airpressure when used is communicated between thetank and the wire-casing through the space between the slide-rod 31 and lts guiding-sleeve, the rod being grooved for this purpose, as shown in Fig. 3.

In order that the user of the gage may be enabledto conveniently record the amount of fuel used in any given time, I employ an indicating device which may be set to v correspond with the position of the pontser s shown in Figs. 5 and 6, this device com-` i prises a pointer 77, which is fixed to a flanged hub projecting through a central perforation in the dial and formed upon a gear 78 below'the dial. This gear meshes with a pinion 79 formed upon the upper end of a shaft 80, which is journaled, at its upper end, in the frame-plate 36. This shaft projects through the bottom of the casing 34, having a tapered bearing 78 which forms an air-tight fit against the, casing. 6A knurle'd head 82 is fixed. to the lower end of the shaft to afford convenient means for ro-v tating the shaft, and with it the gear 78 andthe pointer 77. The head 82 is recessed to receive a spring 83, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, this spring acting to maintain the close fit between the shaftand the cas'- ing and also to produce sufficient friction to retain the pointer wherever it is set. As shown in Fig. 7 the' pointer 77 indicates that at the time when it' was set the pointer 41 indicated 20 on the dial, and that the subsequent consumption has been equal to the izo difference between 2O and the present position ofthe pointer 41, which is between the numbers 9 and 10.'

I am aware'that it has been previously proposed to connect an indicator with a float-mechanism by means of a iiexible member or wire, but in such previous construction, owing to diiiiculties which I have overcome by novel features above described, this Wire has been employed only under tension, this tension being maintained by a spring in the indicator-mechanism, so that the indicator is moved positively in one direction,

while its movements in the opposite direction are produced by the spring. 'Such a construction is unsatisfactory, however, for the reason that the constant ktension upon the wire, due to the action of the spring,

- produces a prohibitive amount of friction between the wire and its sheath, thus interfering with the sensitive action of the gage. My invention is not limited" to lthe embodiment thereof hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but may be embodied in various other forms within the nature of the invention as it is` tions between the l'oat and the guide-tube for rotating the latter as the oat rises and falls; an indicator located ati a point external to the tank; and means for connecting the indicator with the shaft below the bottom ofthe tank; the fixed tube extend-l ing upwardly, in Athe tank, above the high- -est level of the liquid therein,`whereby liquid is prevented from escaping around the shaft.

2. In combination with a tank for holding liquid, a gage comprising a vertical rotatable cylindrical member `provided `With a longitudinal flange and mounted in the tank; a float surrounding said member and provided with rollers engaging said flange closely on opposite sides and other rollers engaging opposite portions of the cylindrical member-to hold the ioat concentric therewith, a second iange adjacent the periphery of the float; means, on the float,

engaging said second iange; and a visual indicator connected with and actuated by the rotatable member, one of said flanges being helical in form, whereby said rotatable member is caused to turn as the ioat rises and falls.

" 3. A gage for tanks comprising. a float.

tance from the. tank; connections between the float and the indicator, for actuating the latter, including a flexible wire acting positively to move the indicator in both directions, by alternative tension and compression; and a guide-tube closely but loosely inclosing the wire, so as to restrict it to longitudinal movement, the guldetube and the wire being suiiiciently iexible to be bent into a curved form without interferingvwith the operation of the wire.

4. A gage for a tank comprising a float adapted to rise and fall in the tank; a

visual indicator located at a distance from the tank; connections between the float and the indicator, for actuating the latter, including a flexible wire havlng a solid core and a winding of wire thereon, said core being' sufficiently stiff to operate in one direction by longitudinal compression; and a fixed guide-tube closely but loosely inclosing the flexible wire.

5. In combination with an air-tight tank 4for vholding liquid under pressure, a float adapted to rise and fall in the tank, a visual indicator located at a distance from the tank, mechanical connections between the indicator, including a iieXible wire, an airtight sheath inclosing and guiding the wire, and an air-pump for supplying compressed air to the tank, the pump being connected with said sheath, whereby the sheath acts also as an air-duct to conduct air from the pump to the tank. l

6. In combination with an air-tight tank for holding liquid under pressure, a visual indicator located at a .distance from the tank andhaving means for indicating both the liquid-volume and the air-pressure, a oat adapted to rise and `fall in the tank, mechanical connections between the fioat and the volume-indicating means comprising a liexiblewire extending from the tank to the indicator, an air-tight sheath inclosing said wire and extendinglfr'om the tank to the indicator, said sheath constituting an .wir-passage between the tank and the pressupplying compressed air to the tank, said pump being connected with Vthe sheath, whereby the sheath provides a passage to conduct air .from the'pulnp tothe tank.

7. In combination vwith'an-air-tight tank cator located at a distance from the ltank vand having means for indicating both the volume o f liquid and the degree of pressure vin the tank, a lioat adapted to rise and fall in the tank, connections between the float and the volume-indicatingv means, for actuating the latter, comprising a flexible wire,

adapted to rise and fall in a tank; a visual\ indicator adapted to be located at a dlsindicator and the float, for actuating the sure-indicating means, and an air-pump forv a guide-tube closely 'embracing said wire for holding liquid under pressure, an indi- Corrections in Letters Patent No. 1,072,876/

5 indicating means, said -outer tube serving to conduct air-pressure between the tank and said means, to actuate the latter.

8. In combination with an air-tight tank for holding liquid under pressure, an indicator located at a. distance from the tank and having means for indicating both the volume of liquid and the degree of pressure in the tank, a ioat adapted to rise and fall in the tank, connections between the float and the volume-indicating means, for actuating the latter, comprising a leXible wire, a guide-tube closely embracing said wire and extending from the tank to the indicator, an outer vair-tight tube inclosing the guide-tube and communicating, at its ends, with the tank and with the pressure-indicatmg means, said outer tube serving to conduct air-pressure between the tank and said means to actuate the latter, and an airpump connected with said outer tube,

case in the Patent Oliice.

[SEAL] whereby the latter affords a passage for transmitting compressed air from the pump i to the tank.

9. In combination with an air-tight tank i or holding liquid under pressure, a oat adapted to rise and fall in the tank; a glazed air-tight casing; an air-tight sheath connecting the casing and the tank; a volume-indicating device movable. Within the casing; mechanical connections between the float and said device for actuating the 1atter, said connections passing through said sheath; a pressure-indicating device' also movable 'within the casing; and means for actuating the pressure-indicating device, said means comprising a Bourdon tube inclosed within the casing and subjected eX- ternally to the varying pressure therein, t.

said tube being connected internally with the exterior atmosphere.

EDWARD S. SAVAGE.

[t is-hereby certitied that in Letters Patent Noi 1,072,87 6, granted September 9,

'1918, upon theV application of Edward S. Savage. of Rochester, New York, for an improvement in Gages for Tanks.4` an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page l, line 36, after the compound word guide- A tube,"` line 37, after the Word tloat, and line 57, after the word therewith,

strike out the commas and insert semicolons; and that 'the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the Signed and sealed this 7th day of October, A. D., 1913.

R. T. FRAZIER.,

vActin-g Commissioner of Patents. 

